The Gift by Hermione Granger Weasley
by Lady Mione
Summary: Sequel to Memoirs of Miss Hermione Granger Another grand story from our favorite author Hermione Granger-Weasley. Another four wands up as she tells us a story of life, loss, love and the strength to carry on.
1. It All Changed In a Moment

Disclaimer: I do not own anything that is Harry Potter. If I did I'd be filthy rich.

Note: Hey everyone! I finally did it! I wrote the sequel to Memoirs of Miss Hermione Granger. I owe it all to you reviewers who continued to review even after my story was completed. Thank you so very much. I do hope you enjoy this second installment of the story. Although its not a Memoir, it's a story told by Hermione about two of her best friends. If you have any questions please feel free to email me at Ladymione@aol.com. 

Now to the story:

▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓

The Gift 

by Hermione Granger-Weasley

Lady Mione

__

Until four years ago I myself never understood the concept of love. What exactly was love, and how did you know you were in love? To me it was a silly notion that was much easier when read about in books and other informational writings. I wasted so much of my time worrying about other things that I never imagined myself in love. It's a bit funny how quickly things can change and how wonderful they can become. For all of you that don't know me, my name is Hermione Granger-Weasley. A few people call me Mione for short. As for the rest of you that know me and my story I bid you thanks for returning once again. 

For the sake of all things magic, let me begin by catching you up to date. George and I are absolutely wonderful. Sometimes I disgust myself with how wonderful we are. It's an amazing feeling to wake up beside someone you are completely in love with. That is until the children barge in and make a racket out of our peaceful Sunday morning. I know what your all thinking, Hermione, why wasn't there an article in the paper when you had a child? Sorry to burst your bubbles, but there are some things that I like to remain private. After all the twins don't need to be exposed to a life of cameras, journalists and other media mania. That's right, you heard correctly. George and I have a beautiful set of twin boys. William and James are four years old and cause more havoc then an entire class of first years at Hogwarts. Now I'd really like to delve further into my life but unfortunately this story is not about me. 

This is a story about two of my dearest friends and their struggle through something so powerful that it would be nearly impossible for me to describe it to you all. That is why I'm here to tell the story. I don't think I would have written this on my own decision, but lately George has been pressuring me to do things I wouldn't normally do. That's right honey, but I love you despite your pushy nature. For its only once in a life time we get to feel utterly selflessly complete. Only once in a lifetime do we experience the surrealism or love. And only once do we receive the second chance that some would die for. 

I'll be checking in from time to time as most of you know I do. Although this is not a memoir about myself I cherish this story and hold it close to my heart . And with the words of a wise old man, " It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live. ", I will begin. 

Winter had struck hard in London. The days consisted of bitter cold winds followed by nights of freezing snow. Fred and George sat impatiently inside their joke shop. Store hours had become long and dreary due to the weather. To them it just didn't make much sense. After all who wouldn't want to try out their latest invention, Vomit Spitting Rag Dolls For Little Sisters Who Annoy. 

"This is becoming quite absurd Fred. We havent had a good income in weeks. How am I supposed to buy a present for Hermione at this rate? " George pushed a full box of canary creams against the wall.

"You could always give her on of our Love Lusting Lollipops. " Fred smirked and wiped off the front counter with a old rag. 

"Are you bloody mad! When you gave one to Angelina on Valentines day she had you locked up for a shag every hour!" Shaking his head George sat down on the box.

A grin spread widely across Freds face and he sighed. " I know, it was rather wonderful." 

George rolled his eyes. Fred and Angelina had been together for nearly 5 years, and no matter how much he tried to get used to their sexual openness it just didn't seem possible. If he ever mentioned a word to Fred about his sex life with Hermione she would most likely castrate him in the process. 

"So, next week marks six years for you and Angie right?" George ran his fingers through his unruly red hair. 

"Yeah. Can you believe it? I honestly thought that we wouldn't last more then six hours let alone six years. " Fred grinned and tossed the dirty rag in a bucket on the floor. " Angelina is something though in fact Im thinking that this might possibly be the year." 

Kicking at a stone on the floor George rolled his eyes. Fred had been saying '_this is the year' _for three years now. Fred just wasn't the marrying type. It struck him a bit odd considering they were twin brothers and all. In Georges opinion a twin pretty much thinks and acts on the same level as the other. To him, Hermione was everything, and he would marry her all over again if he could. Fred, on the other hand, hated the concept of marriage. Although he wouldn't admit it, George knew the thought of settling down forever frightened him. In a way he was almost as stubborn as Hermione was when they first started dating. Yet despite it all, Fred truly loved Angelina. George knew he fell for her right away back in third year of Hogwarts. She was the head strong chaser, and he was the resilient prankster. They were destined for each other from the start. Before Hermione had entered his life he had been incredibly jealous of Freds relationship with Angelina. It was everything that he had been searching for, but now as he watched his brother he wondered when he would just let himself be happy. Marriage isn't the end of the world, in fact it's practically the beginning of a new life. 

"Brother, you've been saying that for years now. Its become awful tiredsome. In fact, sometimes I believe you hit for the other team and just use Angelina as a cover-up. " George smirked and folded his arms over his chest. 

" Oh your simply a riot. Actually, I really am serious about this. I truly deeply love her George. What other woman would help me invent Mucus Munchies, or Exploding Underwear? Angelina is my life, my inspiration, next week at our anniversary dinner Im going to ask her to be my wife." Wiping the sweat from his forehead he glanced over at George whose face was plastered with a large grin. 

"Mum will be bloody mad with happiness you know. I guarantee she picks out the wedding invitations before you have a chance to breathe. I vow if she gets out of hand I'll slip her a canary cream. Once she turns back she will be so angry with me she will forget about you for a short while. " George chuckled and stood from the box. 

"I'll owe you one if you do that for me, mate." 

"I honestly can't believe your going to do this Fred. Ive been waiting for you two to tie the knot forever! Have you decided how your going to ask her? I mean if I could change one thing about the way I asked Hermione to marry me it would be the way I asked her. Yeah, it was sweet and all, and the surprise wedding was a smash, but if I could do it again I'd definitely give her the ring in one of our Biting Gift Boxes. Can you imagine her trying to take the ring out of the box!" George let out a hearty laugh. " It would be hilarious, even more hilarious if she lost her finger in the process." 

"Ehhgghmm?" A cough sounded behind them and George glanced over his shoulder. His face turned beat red and he quickly moved towards the door. 

"Hermione, love, I was only kidding about that. You losing any sort of appendages, especially your finger, is no laughing matter." George kissed Hermione on the forehead and gave an embarrassed smile. 

"Your lucky Im completely beat. Today must have been the longest day of my life." Hermione sighed and pushed by George. Two heads popped out from behind her, and George got down on his knee. 

"Hey mates, how are daddies little men?" He ruffled the hair of the boy on the left who just smiled and glanced at the identical boy on his right. 

" We're not men, Dad your silly. " William Weasley nudged his brother who giggled. 

"Yeah dad your real crazy!" James Weasley exploded into a fit of giggles. 

"Silly and crazy! Our dad is silly and crazy! " The twin boys covered their mouths and laughed. 

"They've been like this all afternoon. You say one thing to them and William calls you silly, followed by James calling you crazy and then…viola!" Hermione smacked her hands together, " They will be laughing like that for a good twenty minutes. " She shook her head and grinned at the sight. "So, when I walked in the door did I happen to hear correctly Fred? Are you going to ask Angie to marry you?" 

Fred smiled and tossed the boys some candy after reassuring George that it wasn't prank candy. " Yeah. I figured that once she got back from her tour with Scandlin United. I'd pop the big one." Fred smirked. "You guys think I should do it?" He looked down at James and William. 

His words caused the twins to stop and glance slowly at each other. For a moment they didn't say a thing and then a wide grin formed on Williams face. 

"Uncle Fred's going to _do_ _it! " _William covered his mouth again and James grabbed his stomach in laughter.

"Do it Uncle Fred, Do it! Ooooooo" James fell to the floor and laughed harder. 

Hermione covered her eyes and let out a deep breath. Turning back to Fred she spoke a bit louder to drown out the voices of her sons. " So whens Angelina supposed to get home?" 

Fred glanced at the clock on the wall and then back to Hermione." In about four days!" 

"Have you spoken to her at all?! Received any owls?! " Hermione bent over at gave the twins a serious look. They immediately calmed down. 

"I spoke with her once and things are going well. They've beaten out a lot of the other teams and she even got to play against Alicia on Windamere Prep. They had fun, but Angelina was a bit ticked at Oliver. Supposedly he let Alicia score on him every time. Such is life when your dating a player from a different team. " Fred shrugged his shoulders and leaned against the wall. 

"Well I wish you good luck with the proposal. It's going to be so exciting to have another wedding to go to. It looks like I'll have an excuse to buy a brand new dress robe!" Hermione squeaked in delight while George just rolled his eyes. 

"Don't count your chickens before they hatch Hermione. I still need to ask her to marry me and she needs to accept." Fred pushed off the wall and sauntered across the room. 

"Oh, don't be silly Fred. Angelina will be ecstatic! There is no way on earth Angelina would decline your proposal." 

A loud rapping noise at the door startled them all and William skipped happily to the door. Hermione began to protest, but before she could get a word out William flung the door open and smiled up at the figure. 

" Hiya, Auntie Alicia. " He beamed. 

Alicia Spinnet stood in the doorway, her robes completely soaked through from the rain. She remained silent for a long moment until Hermione swiftly made her way across the room and ushered her inside. Closing the door behind her, Hermione placed a hand on Alicias shoulder and quickly murmured a quick drying charm. 

"Alicia dear, are you alright?" Hermione arched her eyebrow curiously at her friend. 

There was an uncomfortable silence, and Alicia just wrapped her arms around herself. Her entire body was shaking despite the drying charm Hermione used. A flash of concern swept across the faces of Fred and George and they immediately rushed to her side. Her silence startled them, for it was very un-Alicia-like. Usually she was a nonstop chatterbox, but the expression on her face was vacant. Her eyes were bloodshot and her face was terribly pale. 

"Leesha?" George whispered, his eyes searching hers for any sign of alertness. 

"Lici, what's the matter?" Fred swallowed hard. Something just didn't seem right. 

" Yeah Auntie Lici…why do you look so sad?" James pushed by his father and uncle and stood in front of Alicia. His wide eyes looked up at her with concern and she couldn't help but place her hand upon the young tots head.

"Alicia, damn, tell us what's wrong." George let out a frustrated sigh.

Her eyes flickered briefly to each of their faces until finally they rested upon Fred. Slowly her mouth opened, and she murmured something incoherent. 

"What's that sweetie?" Hermione questioned. 

Her lips began to move again, and as the words became audibly clear this time there was a deadly silence. 

"There's…there's been an accident…." 

Okie dokey pokey lets bring in those reviews!!! Please please please let me know if I should continue this. I really depend upon your opinions. Im writing this for all of you who took the time to read Memoirs. So please drop me a review…or a flame, either way we ought to have a little fun, eh? 


	2. As the Days Go By

Disclaimer: Not mine, will never be mine…yeah I know I don't own it. 

Note: Well thank you thank you thank you too all of you who reviewed. I'm so incredibly excited about this. I apologize for the few grammatical errors in the chapter, but unfortunately I attend work, school, and teach and barely find the time to write these chapters. I always end up doing them in class. I do hope you can cope with them. As for the cliffhanger, well I'm sorry, but you know me. I'm the queen of cliffies. On another note, someone asked how Hermione could have kids if she had ovarian cancer. Well if you look at statistics, about 25 percent of women can still have children after they have ovarian cancer. Well thanks again, and remember to review at the end of the chapter. 

AN: Anything with a * next to it will be explained at the end of the chapter. Some stuff refers to the first story and if you didn't read it you may be confused. Therefore I've decided to add * and give a brief note about it at the end. 

▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓

Chapter 2 ~ As the Days Go By 

__

Alright, I was terrified. Not in the entire span of my life did I ever see Alicia this distraught. I knew it was bad. I wanted to pretend that nothing was happening, but unfortunately it was all unraveling right in front of my eyes. I quickly scurried the kids out of the room although they protested immensely. But they didn't deserve the grief that was coming. At this age they wouldn't understand that life had a clock, and sometimes it stops ticking just a bit too early. 

"What kind of an accident Alicia?" By now Fred had stumbled forward and grabbed onto the nearest shelf for support. 

She shook harder now, and the terror in her eyes screamed for mercy. She didn't want to do this, but she had volunteered to be the one. It was only now she was beginning to regret it. 

"We were supposed to play each other again before they took a break from their tour. We were supposed to go see the Eiffel Tower in France once the game was over. Oliver promised me it would be the most memorable night of my life. " She let out a choked sigh. 

The heartbeats in the room were so loud that it became unnerving, Hermione brushed her hair out of her face and bit her lower lip. Somehow she knew what was coming, and she wondered if they knew it as well. 

"I told them they were lying when they came to my door. I told them that it was an awful joke to play, but they insisted that it was the truth. I wanted to die. I just want to die!" Falling to the floor she cried harder, her shoulders convulsing. 

Fred stepped slowly away from the crate, and kneeled down next to her. His hands were shaking as he lifted her chin. Her eyes were scarlet, and this made his heart beat faster. "Tell me Leesh, tell me please." 

"They were staying at Aunt Esmeralda's Inn. They didn't know the foundation of the place when they checked in, and the people who recommended it said it was a nice cozy joint to spend the next two days. Supposedly there was an electrical problem, and the fourth floor caught on fire. They were staying on the third. They had just played the French team so they told me they were going to take a nap before they came out. By the time I got there, there was a frenzy of people running out of the building. They were trapped on the third floor, and the rescue team was about to go in and get them out, but the building collapsed before they could get in there. Oh gods, Fred they didn't get out! They building fell on them. They didn't get out!" Dropping her head she choked again. 

Fred's eyes went blank and he placed his hands on Alicia's shoulders. " But they're fine, right? They were able to get them out from the debris. Right? Alicia tell me I'm right!" He shook her shoulders, his own tears falling slowly down his cheeks. Alicia just sobbed harder and his shaking became a bit more violent. "Alicia! Tell me! They made it out from the rubble. Tell me!" 

"They're dead Fred!" Her voice rumbled loudly through the room and it cut the uncomfortable thickness that had developed around them. She took a breath and then continued calmly through her tears. " They're dead. Oliver and Angelina never made it out. They're….dead." 

__

At that moment my heart had stopped beating for a second. It didn't seem possible. Angelina and Oliver were only a few years older then I, and the were dead? No, it must have been some sort of misunderstanding. I watched Alicia cover her face with her hands as George quickly tried to comfort his brother. But Fred had already stood from the floor and stormed out of the shop. I honestly didn't know what I should do, and George just blinked at the crying Alicia. What words could possibly be said to try and comfort a friend who had just witnessed their entire world crushed beyond belief. There was nothing I could think of, and I knew George was probably thinking the same thing. It was when the boys emerged from the back room, that the tears began falling from my eyes. They were smiling, and so innocent. How in the world was I going to tell them that Auntie Angie and Uncle Oliver were dead? How in the world was I going to accept it myself? And then there was Alicia and Fred. How do you continue to live when your life…your love, had just died? 

"I'm going to go find Fred." George barely whispered as he took hold of Hermione's hand. She nodded, and kissed him lightly on the cheek. 

"Where's daddy going mummy?" James rubbed his eyes and watched George rush out the door. 

"He needs to go find Uncle Fred." Hermione desperately tried to keep her voice from shaking. James nodded and turned to find his brother who was sitting down next to Alicia. 

"Auntie Licia? Are you sad?" William poked at Alicias face with his tiny finger. 

She looked up at him, her tears had stained her cheeks, and she looked dreadfully sick. " Sweetie, I'm fine. Don't you worry your head off about me. Everything will be fine." 

Hermione moved across the room and tugged at Williams sleeve. Ushering them back into the storage room she felt utterly guilty for not telling them. Eventually she would have to. 

"But mummy we want to stay with you and Auntie Alicia! Its gross back here, and James keeps throwing dungbomb's at me!" William tried to push back out of the doors, but Hermione removed her wand and muttered a locking charm. 

Quietly she stepped back into the main area and ran a hand across her face. Alicia was still sitting on the floor, her eyes fixed at her feet. She was muttering something, and Hermione moved closer in order to hear it. It was a bit slurred, and she couldn't help but notice Alicia's constant rocking. The words made her sad, and she covered her eyes again to hide the tears. 

"Everything will be fine…everything will be fine….everything will be fine…" 

~~~**~~~**~~~**~~~**~~~**~~~**~~~**~~~**~~~**~~~**~~~**~~~**~~~**~~~

" I cant believe an entire month has gone by already. " Hermione flipped the calendar to the next page and yawned. 

Things had progressively become better over the last few weeks. After attending both funerals of Oliver and Angelina, Hermione had sat the twins down and explained what had happened. James understood instantly, and cried knowing he would never see his Auntie or Uncle again. William on the other hand took awhile before he realized what had happened. He just didn't understand how two people he loved could ever go away without coming back. 

"Mummy, can we go to the park today?" William pulled his cloak around him and stared up at her with big wide eyes. 

"No, I want to go see daddy and Uncle Fred! "James tugged at Hermione's sleeve and shot a dirty look at William. 

Hermione rolled her eyes, " How about we spend a time at the park and then visit the shop for lunch?" 

"How about we have lunch with daddy first then go to the park?" James' eyes lit up at his own idea. 

Hermione had to hand it to him, he was rather convincing. Letting out a chuckle she nodded. " Fine, first lunch then park, but tomorrow we do what William wants to do first, deal?" 

Rushing out the door, Hermione held the boys hands as they weaved down the cobbled stone road and towards Diagon Alley. The streets were buzzing with people, and Hermione inhaled the fresh air. Autumn was by far her favorite season. Despite all the trauma that had happened within the last month, everyone had been coping well, and even Fred had returned to work. He was still a somber individual, and mostly kept to himself, but it was a grand improvement. After the funeral he had locked himself in his flat for two weeks straight. Yes, things were hard, but they were getting better. 

As for Alicia, well she was a complete mess after the funeral. Hermione could distinctly remember forcing her to eat after she lost about twenty pounds. Last week she had surprised George and Hermione by taking the twins out for ice cream. Hermione knew it was a long hard process to get over such a loss as she did, but as she watched Alicia over the last week she realized how much stronger she had grown. 

Slipping around the bend with the boys she smiled as she pushed into the shop. The lights were bright, and business was slowly beginning to pick up again due to the change in weather. The boys quickly rushed over to George who was grabbing a biting teacup from the top shelf. Hermione giggled and moved behind the counter next to Fred. 

"Hey mister, looks like business is booming again." She grinned and reached for a account book. 

Glancing out of the corner of his eye he forced a smile. " Yeah, its about time, our funds were beginning to drop to an all time low. Any lower and we were going to sell Ron's old baby toys for a profit. Of course he heard the idea and cried for hours about it, Merlin forbid he loses his precious blanket. " Fred chuckled lightly. 

Hermiones heart skipped a bit. Fred hadn't joked about anything in weeks! This was a sure sign he was getting better. 

"I'm sure Parvati nearly choked of embarrassment." Hermione laughed. She loved Parvati, but sometimes the girl was a bit petty when it came to self image. 

"Parv, is Parv. " Fred nodded a quick thank you to a customer and he shut the register with a sigh. " So how are things?" 

"Alright I suppose." She propped her hand in her chin. " I've got a Ministry dinner this Friday, and I'm pressured to find a sitter. *Emily's sister was going to do it, but she came down with the wizard flu. And Id ask your mother, but she's busy watching Percy's and Ginny's kids. I wouldn't have a problem sending them all over, but I know that's a lot for your mother." 

"I'll do it." Fred barely gave her a look as he took the next customer. 

Hermione snapped her head at him. It wasn't as though she wouldn't appreciate Fred watching the boys, but she never expected him to offer. George had informed her that after work he usually headed straight to his flat where he would stay for the rest of the evening. Now here he was giving up his Friday night to watch the boys. 

"Will you really Fred? The boys would simply love it if you did." Hermione clasped her hands together. She knew they would love it. Fred was their favorite uncle although they swore up and down to the others, mostly Ron, that the boys didn't have favorites. 

Fred thanked the elderly man who bought the exploding roses for his wife, and turned to Hermione again. " Hermione, I have no problem watching the boys this Friday. Its not like I have anything else to do. " He shrugged and took the account book from her. 

Letting out a squeak Hermione flung her arms around his neck. " Oh thank you so very much Fred! You have no idea how much I appreciate this. " 

Fred wrapped his arms around Hermione and closed his eyes. The soft flowery scent reminded him of Angelina and he almost let himself break down again. He honestly didn't mind watching the twins. Perhaps they would bring some sort of happiness into the picture for him. After all for the last three Friday nights he had just stared at an old photo of Angelina and watched as she waved with a smile back at him. 

Uh oh, what will happen when Fred baby-sits for the tots? Will it become more then he bargained for? Find out next chapter. 

*_Emily is Hermione's friend from work. She shares an office with her, and helped Hermione through her ordeals in Memoirs. _

I would also like to apologize for anyone who was upset by the death of Angelina and Oliver. I know that sometimes people become upset from situations such as this, but I promise it is all for the story at hand. I do hope you continue reading. 

Well thanks again for reading this. Once your done don't forget to leave a review. It may not seem like much, but trust me it does loads to boost my confidence. And if your feeling like you hate this then leave a flame. But be warned, flames will only be used to keep me warm when we loose power from this damn hurricane that's heading here. 

__


	3. When it Rains it Pours

Disclaimer: Own anything? Me? Ha!

Note: Again, I really want to thank you all for your reviews. Like I said last chapter, I am terribly sorry for killing Angelina and Oliver, but its all for the good of the story. As for anything else that might concern you please feel free to contact me. So if everyone is set and ready I think I will begin chapter 3. Thanks, and please remember to drop a note at the end of the chapter:

▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓

Chapter 3 ~ When it Rains it Pours 

" And here's the name of the boys doctor in case you need to go to the hospital. " Hermione handed Fred another slip of paper to add to the already large pile in his hand. " And here is the address to the Ministry in case you need to reach us there, and here's the address for the Burrow…" 

"Hermione!" Fred looked down at the paper and shook his head. " I lived at my house for 17 years, I am almost positive I can remember the address." He chuckled and placed the pile of papers on the table. " Everything will be fine. I will be fine, the boys will be fine, as for George…" he nodded his head over to his twin. George looked up from his messy tie and smiled sheepishly. " I think you should direct your attention to the goof in dress robe." 

Hermione smiled and rushed over to George." I know everything will be fine Fred, I just want to make things easy for you." 

For a second Fred felt his smile falter. In the last three weeks all anyone wanted to do was make things easier for him. It made him feel rather pathetic. Especially because he knew as soon as he arrived home tonight he would probably cry over Angelina. He had been crying himself to sleep every night since it happened. Mornings weren't as bad as the nights, but when he looked over at her empty coffee mug he couldn't help but sniffle at the thought of her sitting across from him at the breakfast table. He had taken so much for granted, and it wasn't fair. There was so much he had left to experience with her and it was whisked away in the matter of seconds. 

"Fred? Hey Fred you awake in there?" George gave his brother a shove nearly causing him to stumble into the counter. 

"Be careful George, you almost knocked fred over." Hermione slapped him lightly on the shoulder and sighed. 

"It's alright Hermione. I'm perfectly capable of keeping my balance." Fred grinned lightly and steadied himself by leaning on the countertop. 

George nodded at his brothers words. " Seriously Hermione. Gods, its not like I killed him or something." George's words trailed off slowly as he finished his sentence. 

There was an uncomfortable silence between them and Hermione gave a nervous look towards Fred. He kept his composure better then she had expected. His eyes only watering slightly before he began ushering them out the door. 

"Well, you two better hurry along then." He leaned the palm of his hand on Hermiones back and opened the door for her. 

George followed silently, his eyes desperately trying to avoid the eyes of his brother. Upon closing the door behind them Fred let out a choked sob and pressed his ear up against the door. Although his heart wrenched at what George had slipped up, he couldn't help but chuckle as his brother received a reaming from Hermione. 

"You idiot, I can't believe you said that!" 

"I didn't mean anything by it, it just sort of came out." 

"Oh yeah well how would you like it if I accidentally let it slip about…."

"Hermione…shhhh….someone will hear you!." 

"Well next time think with your head instead of your arse." 

"Yes, dear." 

"Hey Uncle Fred whatcha doing? Fred lifted his head from the door and dropped his gaze to his nephew William. 

"Just making sure your mum and dad were gone before we started doing things we shouldn't be doing." Fred smirked and took Williams hand. "Where's James?" 

"In our room. He's playing with some goo stuff we made with our potions kit. " He dropped his voice to a whisper. " I was the one who remembered all the right ingredients." He smiled brightly and puffed his chest out. 

"Well that's what I like to hear William. Now, how about we go sit with James and whip up a little surprise for mum and dad?" Fred let out a deep breath and smiled a bit wider. The only thing that could possibly light up his evening was the combination of two things. His nephews, and playing a practical joke. 

William let out a hearty laugh. " Mummy wont like it very much. Yesterday we turned her hair purple and she told us if we did it again we would be in big trouble." 

Upon entering the twins bedroom Fred dropped to the floor next to James. " Well, If your mum gets mad again then I'll take full responsibility for it. Besides, " Fred leaned in close and smirked. " Don't you think it would be awfully funny if your mum walked in the door and it started to rain on her?" 

The boys burst into laughter which only caused Fred to smirk more.

**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**

Alicia let out a long sigh and brought the mug of tea to her lips. It was pretty early for her to be in on a Friday evening, but then again there wasn't much for her to do. Katie had insisted they go out and have dinner together, but she still wasn't in the mood for much social interaction. She lied and said she had a busy night ahead of her, although her busy night really consisted of nothing. She didn't care though. An entire month had passed by and it still didn't seem real. Taking the mug away from her lips she leaned back in the couch and pulled her legs beneath her. 

"Some action packed evening, Alicia. " Turning slightly to the side she let her eyes drop to a picture frame propped up on the side table. 

Katie had given her the picture after it was taken about a year ago. The thought sent a shiver through her. A year ago everything had been fine. A year ago she was happy, and completely in love. Taking the picture into her hands she smiled softly and quickly wiped at a falling tear. She remembered the day like it only happened yesterday. 

She was sitting with Oliver at the Hogwarts Quidditch Pitch. They had gone to see the final game of Gryffindor vs. Slytherin. Oliver had his arm around her, and Alicia watched as his eyes darted around the pitch with excitement. She watched as the picture Alicia snuggled close to him due to the slight chill in the air. Gryffindor was falling behind by thirty points, and the entire place was in an uproar of excitement. Then there had been a short whistle blow, and they all stood up in silence. She remembered watching *Harry fly over to the announcement booth and whisper in the fourth years ear. The boy smirked and announced a victory for Gryffindor in which the entire stadium explode in cheers. Both her and Oliver were confused, and that's when the picture was snapped. After Katie took the picture she explained that the Gryffindor seeker had faked out the Slytherin seeker and managed to catch the snitch without anyone noticing. 

A tiny tear drop slid down her cheek and landed just on the edge of the picture. It was such a memorable day, and now that's all it really was. A simple memory. Wiping it away she placed the picture back on the table and stood from the couch. She needed to get out of the house. Everything in here reeked of her love for Oliver and it was only depressing her more. Bringing her mug to the sink she quickly hurried to her room and opened her closet. She didn't need to dress up, but in the current mood she was in she felt like she needed to at least look presentable for a change. 

Pulling a black knee length shell skirt out of the closet, she held it to her figure and nodded. Tossing it on the bed she began to rummage through her clothes again before her eyes fell on one of her favorite pink blouses. It had been one of Oliver's favorite as well. Holding it to her nose she inhaled deeply and choked back a sob. A hint of Oliver's cologne lingered just on the collar of the blouse. Shedding her current clothing she pulled the pink blouse on and reached for the skirt. Once it was pulled up around her waist she zipped the zipper. Giving her long dark hair a comb through she reached for her cloak and draped it over her shoulders. 

It took her all of three seconds to grab her shoulder bag and lock the door before heading out onto the street. She didn't hesitate in the direction to where she was going. She knew exactly who could make her feel better at such a crummy time. 

~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~

"Ok, Uncle Fred its ready I think." James handed Fred a vial of green liquid and smiled. " William said this is going to be real funny." 

Fred took the vial and reached for his wand." Oh Im sure it will be the funniest thing your mum and dad have seen in a long time." He grinned down at the boys and headed for the front door. "Now, your mum and dad should be home soon, so lets set this up now." 

"Right." The twins replied in unison as they watched Fred mutter a charm at the door. 

William gave James a nudge and they both giggled. Murmuring a few more charms Fred turned towards the boys and yawned. "Well then lads, I say we head to your room and pretend we don't know a thing. When your parents come inside they wont know what hit them. " 

They boys smiled maliciously and took Fred's hand as he led them back to their bedroom. It wouldn't be long before Hermione and George returned home from the dinner, and they couldn't wait to see the look on their parents face as they became soaked. Sitting back down on the floor the boys covered their mouths with their hands as tiny chuckles escaped them. Fred ushered them to keep quiet as he heard a muffled noise coming from the front door. 

"This is going to be great." William whispered.

"I know." James smirked and covered his mouth again. 

"I do hope your parents enjoy the surprise." Fred, turned his ear towards the front door and waited. 

"FOR THE LOVE OF MERLIN!" A shriek came from the sitting room and the three boys rolled on the floor with laughter. 

Fred grabbed his stomach while the twins began to cry in a fit of giggles. Getting to his feet Fred staggered down the hall and wiped at his face. 

"Oi, Hermione. It was all my idea, don't get angry with the boys." 

"I'm sure Hermione won't mind at all Fred considering you got me and not her!" 

Fred snapped his eyes opened and felt his face sink. The prank had worked great, spectacular even. Although it didn't look like Alicia really enjoyed standing there soaking wet. 

Poor old Fred. What will happen now that Alicia is completely soaked? And will she seek out her revenge? Find out next time.

__

*Harry is the Quidditch Ref and the Flying instructor at Hogwarts. 

I apologize for this being so short, but well I wasn't exactly feeling this chapter. However I do guarantee an awesome chapter 4. Some good stuff is bound to happen I promise. So please leave a review or a flame. Caution: Flames are hazardous to your health. 


	4. Searching for Solace

Disclaimer: I know I don't own anything, and you should know it too. 

Note: Yay, thanks for all the reviews I totally love all you guys. I do hope your all enjoying this story, and again I apologize for all of you who were upset by the two deaths. I promise it will all be nice in the end. Now don't forget to review at the end of this chapter. Thanks and on to chapter 4.

▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓

Chapter 4 ~ Searching for Solace 

Fred bit his lower lip to keep himself from cracking up. If he could, he would have turned back time so the prank didn't explode all over Alicia. It was too late, but the fact that she stood there soaking wet was all to much for him and he let out a bellowing laugh. Alicia crossed her arms and smirked. 

"Oh, you think this is funny?" She bit on her lip now to keep from laughing. " You know Fred, two can play at this game. " Pulling her wand from her cloak she aimed it towards the kitchen counter. " Wingardium Leviosa. " 

Fred spun on his heel and cringed at the sight. A pitcher of water hovered over his head, and before he could move the liquid spilled from the container. Alicia grinned while the twins watched with wide eyes. Fred remained planted to the spot completely soaking wet. 

"You're evil Alicia Spinnet, purely evil. " Taking out his own wand he preformed a quick drying spell on both of them and grinned. " I really am sorry you know, it was supposed to be for Hermione." 

Brushing his hands off he led her inside and took her cloak. He nearly choked at the sight. She looked bloody beautiful. The pink shirt she was wearing illuminated her skin and hair and made her body…dear lord, Alicia had a body! He watched as she moved towards the couch and sunk into the seat. William and James rushed over to her and bounced into the couch. Fred swallowed hard. He had known Alicia since third year, and never once had he felt compelled to gawk at her like this. Ok, so there was that one time he had convinced George and Harry to watch the girls shower after Quidditch practice, but this was different. He had always known Alicia was pretty, but she was one of his best friends, and he never felt attracted to her. 

"You alright Fred?" 

Alicias voice knocked him back into reality and he felt his stomach knot. The guilt quickly swept over him and his mind brought him to Angelina. How could he dare think of another woman especially her very best friend. His heart belonged to Angelina, and he felt utterly terrible for thinking any different. 

Wiping his hand over his facer he moved to the sitting room and sprawled out in the arm chair. He avoided looking at her in fear he may slip and feel guilty again. 

"So Alicia, how are things?" For a lolng silent moment she just sat there with a blank expression. How stupid could he be? She was going through everything he was. Lowering his eyes he sighed. " I'm sorry Lici, I'm a real git sometimes." 

She smiled and shook her head. " Don't be silly, it's not like we can pretend that nothing happened. " Pulling William into her lap she let out a deep breath. "It's hard sometimes…who am I kidding it's hard a lot of the time. There are mornings I wake up and have somehow forced myself to believe that things are fine. It feels so real that I truly do believe it…at least for a little while. I want him to come walking through that door to tell me he loves me, but I know its impossible. " Her voice dropped a moment and she brushed a few tears from her face. " I've been going to therapy and she keeps telling me the best thing would be to move on, how do you get on with your life when an enormous chunk of it has been ripped from you. " Pulling William closer she let a very soft smile form on her lips. " Too bad things don't come that easy." Kissing the top of James' head she quickly glanced at Fred. " That's why I'm so glad to see my boys tonight." 

The twins puffed out their tiny little chests and looked proudly towards their Uncle. " See what we can do Uncle Fred. We can make Auntie Alicia smile a lot." James grinned and snuggled a bit closer.

"That's cause you two know hoe to help this old lady have fun." Bending slightly over she grinned and began to tickle them furiously. After a few good howls of laughter Alicia pulled away and propped William up a bit straighter on her lap." I have a splendid idea. " Picking William up in her arms she flashed Fred a very small but sincere smile. "How would you like to set up another prank for your mum and dad? Only this time I'll help so some innocent bystander doesn't get hit." She shot Fred a playful glare. 

"Hey I said it was an accident." Fred held up his hands in defense.

"Save it Weasley." 

__

I never really understood how hard it was for them to deal with their loss. Of course I did my best to support them and comfort them, but was that enough for someone who just lost the love of their life? I know that if I was to ever lose George or my boys, life would be completely over. I was glad that they were able to speak about their feelings with each other, but I surely didn't think it was good that they kept their true feelings from everyone else. I knew the twins helped them ease their pain slightly, but was it enough? Was it truly enough? Was anything enough to ease the pain or would their lives just remain grounded? I guess time would tell. 

" You wore them out." Fred carried William towards the twins bedroom, while Alicia cradled James. 

"Well, I figured I'd make it easy on you by making them sleepy." Alicia giggled and dimmed the candle in the bedroom. 

"I could have put them to sleep easily." He frowned, placing William in his bed next to James. 

Shaking her head she grabbed Fred by the arm and led him into the hallway. Leaving the door ajar she turned slightly to him and walked back to the sitting room. 

"Using a sleeping potion doesn't count Fred. They would have skinned you alive and left you for dead. Trust me, their not the easiest to put to sleep. Oh, remind me to take that charm off the door before George and Hermione get home. I don't want them to walk into that mess." Dropping onto the couch she kicked her feet up and placed t hem on the table. 

Fred felt his mouth drop open as he sat down next to her. " I'll have you know that I am a great Uncle/babysitter. I could get those kids to fall asleep just like you did." 

"Alright, lets go wake them and find out." 

"No!" Fred pulled her back onto the couch. " I mean…why interrupt their slumber?" 

Alicia smiled. " yeah… yeah… yeah…I'll play your game Fred Weasley but I know the truth. " 

Out of the corner of her eye she saw him breathe out a sigh of relief. She chuckled to herself; feeling quite glad she had decided to drop by the house on such a night. 

"Hey Fred?" She dropped her eyes to her lap and twiddled her thumbs for a second. 

"Hmm?" His eyes were closed and his head was resting on the back of the couch. 

"How are you really? I mean, you don't need to tell me if you don't want to, but I was just curious. How are you really doing?"

Just as she had done earlier, he sat there for a very long quiet moment. Sure he had expressed his feelings before, but by explaining it to Alicia it seemed so much harder. He wasn't sure how to tell her that things were awful. Bearable but awful. 

" Look Alicia, its not that I don't want to tell you, cause you would probably understand more then anyone else. It's just become so difficult to say what I want to say without having everyone pretend they know what its like. And I know that they mean well, and I know they care, but they don't really know the way it feels to wake up in the morning and wish for the day to end. It scares me sometimes because there have been days where I wish I didn't wake up. There's been moments I'd certainly like to forget, things I regret, and the most they can do is provide me with a shoulder to cry on. I don't want their sympathy anymore Alicia. Im tired of that. I just want all this blasted pain to end…I just wish I could have told her that I loved her, I wish I could just have that chance…" Fred cut off his last sentence and looked over at Alicia. 

A few tears had smudged her makeup, and Fred couldn't help but smile. Despite everything, Alicia had always been a wonderful friend. He shifted his weight and turned to her, his hand reaching up and brushing the wetness from her cheeks. She looked over at him, her heart searching for solace. She could see the beads of sweat trickling from his forehead which caused her to swallow the lump in her throat. It was like everything around them had stopped, and the only concern was to mask the pain that was evident inside of them. 

"Fred?" She inched a bit closer to him, needing to feel loved, secure…the need to feel normal again. 

Why he was doing this, he wasn't quite sure, but for some reason he wanted to console her. He wanted to console himself. Slowly he inched his face to hers, their lips barely centimeters apart. 

"Bloody Hell!" A loud yelp came from the front door and they quickly jumped to their feet. 

Alicia felt her face become flushed, and to mask her feelings she slapped Fred hard on the shoulder. " You forgot to remind me!" 

Hermione sauntered into the sitting room with clenched fists. "Fred Weasley, you better explain yourself…oh, hello Alicia. " She shook her head and water sprayed in every direction. 

Fred shot Alicia a look and completely lost it. They exploded with laughter while Hermione just arched her eyebrow at the two. She watched as they continued to laugh, holding onto each other for support. George rushed inside with a grin on his face and he clasped his hands together. 

" Whats going on? Whats the commotion about?" He watched the two laugh for a moment before looking over at Hermione. 

She simply smiled and pulled him by the arm. " Don't worry about it George, but for the time being lets just leave the two of them alone. " Guiding him into their own room she glanced over her shoulder once more.

Fred had Alicia wrapped in a tight hug as they both fell with laughter to the floor. A small smile curled on Hermiones lips, and quietly she closed the bedroom door. 

__

Aww how cute. Anyway, what will happen when the Weasleys hold a big dinner at their house? Will Ginny tell Hermione what she saw? What does Fred say when hes confronted by his mother, and finally why is Draco wearing a bib? Find out in the next chapter. 

YAY for chapter 4. I want to thank everyone again for reading this. I do hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please leave a review or a flame if you feel it necessary. Besides I could always use the flames to burn pictures of my History Professor while I perform some voodoo. The man is evil!!!! Thanks again and the next chapter will be up soon. 


End file.
